Fairygodboss Of The Week Laura Peterson

Fairygodboss Of The Week Laura Peterson Laura Peterson is a model of perseverance, curage and leadership. She has risen to the highest ranks to become a Managing Director at Accenture, and she makes a point of supporting women all throughout the company and helping them rise. Laura has a positive energy that is just contagious. We are lucky to have zu sich a member of the Fairygodboss Advisory Board, and a member of our work tribe.Fairygodboss of the Week Laura PetersonManaging Director, AccentureNew York, NYFGB Tell us about your career. How did you get to where you are now? LP I went to the University of Colorado Boulder and studied Marketing, International Business and Economics. Despite my majors, I had no idea what I wanted to do, but I thought Consulting looked interesting, so I pursued it. Who would have known that 16 years later Id be at Accenture, leading clients through large scale programs that are transforming their businesses. Ive had the opportunity to take on a variety of roles and looking back I never thought Id land in sales, but I find it very exciting. It turned out to be a great fit with my skills.Ive spent most of my career on the road, but after years of traveling for work, I welches gravitating towards wanting to spend time with clients over a longer-term in one place, versus pursuing the excitement of taking on new projects in different locations. I was feeling a sense of impermanence, like my life was in a suitcase. And my son felt it too. So I worked with Accenture to explore opportunities to move into a new role leading client accounts, which would allow me to travel less. I ended up finding such a role, but there was a catch my clients would be in New York City, not Denver, so we would need to relocate. And we did. Fast-forward and Im leading Accentures relationships with a couple of NYC based clients and, most importantly, Im in one place with my family. FGB What is an accomplishment that you are proud of?LP Ive pursued a very unco nventional path throughout my career with Accenture, taking on roles outside of Consulting in BPO, Operations, Sales, starting over with new leadership kollektivs and stakeholders frequently. I realize my journey is unconventional, but my path enabled me to not only advance my career, but to learn so much about our business, our clients and myself. FGB What is a challenge that youve faced and overcome?LP Moving to New York and taking on a new role within Accenture about two years ago which, to me, felt like starting over. It was a great opportunity for me to make a change, but also a huge challenge. Moving at that point in my career and rolleal life was really scary rebuilding a network, a home base, finding a new support system, all in the middle of learning a new role and new team was incredibly difficult. I had amazing people around me who I knew were in my corner, but the hardest part was trusting myself to be good enough to do it and being kind to myself when things werent per fect. Lightning RoundFGB What do you do when youre not working?LP Either hanging with my very fun son, wandering the neighborhoods of NYC, or Im on a plane to Heathrow, en route to see my fianc and wonderful soon-to-be stepdaughter who live in England. FGB If you could have dinner with one famous person - dead or alive - who would it be?LP Margaret Thatcher. What she achieved for the era in which she lived is amazing. Id love to hear her stories. FGB What is your karaoke song?LP Alive by Pearl Jam.FGB What is your favorite movie?LP The Holiday, with Cameron Diaz and Jude Law.FGB What book would you bring with you on a desert island?LP The Edge by Dick FrancisFGB What is your shopping vice? What would you buy if you won the lottery?LP Amazon Prime for everything. But new luggage tends to be a thing for me. Im always on the quest for the perfect laptop bag. If I win the lottery, Ill buy a vacation home in Mallorca. My fianc and I both love the island. It would be somewhere special to go with our kids and come together as a family. FGB Who is your Fairygodboss?LP One of my best girlfriends, Amy Stuart. Shes had my back unconditionally since our senior year of college. Shes my biggest cheerleader, always has a pep talk ready and has dropped everything to fly to New York when I really needed some support. She owns her own business, is involved in the community and raises three kids while still finding time to be her I am in awe.FGB What is the 1 career tip youd like to share? LP Find your work family, your tribe of both women and men who get you, make you laugh and bring out the best in you. We all spend so much time at work, so these are the people who not only make life more fun, they help you be you and always have your back. This family will be there with you at three in the morning, bailing water out of the boat when it starts leaking (which it will at one point or another).Fairygodboss is all about women helping other women - so each week, we celebrate a woman who made a difference in another womans career. Is there a woman who has made a difference in your career?Celebrate her and thank her by nominating her here.